


Long Story Short, It’s A Bad Time

by Visionsofdazzlingrooms



Category: blue bloods
Genre: 2020 sucks y’all, F/M, Jack and Sean, Original Character - Freeform, Stress, and 2021 doesn’t like much better, at the beginning of the madness, going slightly insane, huge cabin fever, quaran-fic, quarantine fic, reagan baby, someone gets sick, this was written way back, worried family
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-30
Updated: 2021-02-03
Packaged: 2021-03-10 21:01:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,721
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28433589
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Visionsofdazzlingrooms/pseuds/Visionsofdazzlingrooms
Summary: Danny worries about Linda working in such a hot spot during an unknown time. He doesn’t want to loose her, not after she fought so hard to stay with him and the family.
Relationships: Danny Reagan/Linda Reagan, Edit "Eddie" Janko/Jamie Reagan
Comments: 16
Kudos: 9





	1. I Worry About Her

**Author's Note:**

> This was written at the VERY beginning of COVID in my area, all the way back in April. So some of the info is a *little* off, but not much. Also, this is much shorter than the length I’ve been writing on here. 
> 
> Maybe I’ll keep up the quaran-fics, who knows?

Danny sighed as he drank his coffee. It was weird, working from home. He was instructed to look at cases from other detectives who didn't have a family to go home to; those detectives came home to plants and fish and cats. He had a wife, two kids. He had to stay healthy- for them. He hadn't realized how much he actually liked interacting with people (which surprised him, because he was not a people person) until he had to be away from them. 

"Hey, you okay, brother?" Jamie frowned through the computer screen. He was working from home as well; cases were being sent via email, and officers were FaceTiming him with quick questions. With a pregnant wife eating him out of house and home, it was imperative that he stayed put. 

"I worry about her, that's all. I mean.... she's on the front line. She's right in the middle of all the germs. And when she comes home, she's isolating herself from all of us." 

"She survived two gun wounds, and a fatal car crash. She can survive germs." 

"I know, I know. Jack and Sean are towers of health- they'll just get a cold. But what if Dad or Pops catches it? They're old and have respitory problems. It could kill them. And what about Eddie? And the baby? Linda says seniors and pregnant women are the ones that are really at risk."

"Which is why we're all staying home. We FaceTime dinners on Sundays, and do church that way, too. You've got nothing to worry about." 

Danny smiled as a four month pregnant Eddie came into the frame. She had a bowl of barbecue chips, and sat decidedly in Jamie's lap. 

"Hi, Danny!" She waved at him, fingers orange with the seasoning. 

He chuckled, remembering when Linda was pregnant. "Hey. It's good to see that you haven't run out of supplies." He smirked, watching her crunch a chip. 

Eddie held up the bowl, shrugging, a cute smile on her face. "You guys doin' okay?"

Danny considered, then turned his head when the door clicked open. In the distance, he heard shoes being kicked off. 

Through the speaker, Jamie and Eddie heard, "I'm home! Don't touch me till I've full scrubbed!" 

"Babe, wanna say 'Hi' to Jamie and Eddie?"

Linda came into the frame, dressed in her scrubs. "Hi, guys! How's everyone?" She took a seat next to Danny, who adjusted the camera. She was now in the frame, her husband slipping into the background. 

"We're doing good. A little cabin fever," Jamie shrugged, making a 'but-What-can-you-do?' face. 

"Yeah. Danny's got that, too. The house hasn't been cleaner!" 

"Tell me about it!" Eddie smiled, "but Jamie keeps making me sit down. I'm pregnant, not a one-legged opossum on the freeway!" 

"Better get used to it. Danny was like that, too, only a thousand times worse. How's Junior anyways?" 

Eddie rubbed her tummy, which was just starting to show. "Junior's good. Loving all the food Jamie's been making." The future Reagan baby was quickly named 'Junior'. Eddie wanted to be surprised, so Junior seemed logical. 

"I'll bet."

"How're you?" Jamie rubbed Eddie's belly subconsciously. 

Linda sighed, "really tired. And scared for the people who have COVID-19. It's pretty scary stuff." 

"But... we'll survive it, right?" Eddie suddenly sounded scared. 

"We've survived the Black Plague, Cholera outbreak, more plagues, the invention of rap music..... we can totally survive this."  
She smirked.

"I wish I had your confidence." Eddie suddenly frowned.

Jamie rubbed her back, "we'll be fine, sweetie. We're taking vitamins and all the precautions." 

Danny came back into the frame, and put a hand on Linda's shoulder. "I started your bath." 

"Ooh, thank you." She smiled up at her husband, then to the screen. "I gotta go disinfect. Talk to you later. Maybe at ten?"

"Yeah, I'll text one of you," Jamie nodded. 

"Bye, guys. Talk to you later." 

"Bye," Linda smiled and waved, and stood to make her way up to the welcoming bath. 

"See ya," Danny smiled and ended the video chat. He sighed once again; he picked up his coffee mug and followed Linda to the en-suite. Jamie was right; she was a strong woman, and he knew she'd stop at nothing to keep her family safe.


	2. Bad News In June

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is for my faithful readers, ancilla89 and Hellfire32. They both wanted this to be a multi-chaptered story, so here it is! Please feel free to request any ideas!

"Y'know..." Danny started, watching Linda undress from her shift at the hospital. He absolutely hated how she had to be there- didn't the supervisors know that she had a family? "I can help you scrub down. Get the grime and dirt off."

Unclasping her bra, Linda smirked. "Oh, I dunno, honey. It has to be a full body scrub, in every nook and cranny."

He locked the door behind him and walked to her as he took his T-shirt off. "I think I can manage that."

"It's a big job," she closed her eyes as his hands slid into her underwear and on her ass. 

"And I'm just the man to do it." He pushed her underwear off her body. 

“I certainly can’t argue with that.” She said with fake defeat, undressing her husband. 

“It’d be futile if you did.”

Linda laughed as Danny picked her up and carried her to the tub. This quarantine thing wasn’t so bad, Linda thought, especially if Danny continued to scrub her down after her shifts. 

**********

"The groceries are due in half an hour," Danny told Sean who had just finished his Zoom call with his friends . Month three of quarantine saw the Reagans annoyed but okay with staying inside. At least they had a backyard for Sean to practice soccer and football and other sports; and for Linda and Danny to have romantic summer dinners outside when the weather wasn’t unbearably hot. 

"Did Mom get ice cream?"

"Are you getting? Mom always gets ice cream."

"Her birthday's next month. What're we gonna do? We can't go out."

"Well, Jack's coming in two days, and he knows how to bake cakes."

"Oh, yeah. I forgot about that. What about dinner?"

"I've got an idea," Danny smiled, but didn't tell Sean the idea. "Why don't you go read the book you got for Christmas?"

"I'm just getting to the good part!" He walked off to his room, just as Linda was coming in the kitchen, talking on her phone. 

"You're sure?" She sounded worried, making Danny's earn perk up and pay attention to her. "Oh no, that's awful!... yes, we're fine... we've got everything... okay... thanks for the update... bye, Henry."

"That was Pops?" Danny asked as Linda pocketed her cell. "What's wrong?"

"Wrong? What makes you think anything is wrong?" She tried not to sound worried. 

"Linda."

Sighing, she repeated the news. "According to Henry... Frank has COVID."

Danny's face fell, "what?"

"Apparently someone in the building had or has COVID, and Frank caught it. Along with Garrett and Abigail and Chief Brody. Others probably have it, too."

"Well, is he okay? Dad, I mean."

"It depends how severe it is," she explained softly, trying to stay calm. 

"How severe it is? Linda, that doesn't sound good."

"It's different for people his age. They can be towers of health and still have the disease be terminal."

"Terminal? As in 'death'. Linda!"

Before Linda could answer the question, Danny's phone rang. He looked at the screen, "it's Erin."

"She's probably calling about Frank. Answer her."

"Erin-"

"Danny! Did you hear about Dad?" She cut off his greeting. 

"Linda just told me."

"What're we gonna do? We can't let him die!"

"It'll be okay, Erin. Everything will be fine."

"How can you say that?" Erin's voice was slowly starting to get more and more hysterical. 

"Because sometimes, when things get tough, denial is all we have."

"What?"

"Give the phone to me," Linda interrupted, grabbing Danny's phone. "Erin? It's Linda. Frank's going to be fine, trust me."

"How do you know that?"

"I just do.... will it make you feel better if I call his doctor?"

"Yes," Erin sounded close to tears. 

"Okay, I'll do that. Don't cry, Erin, everything will be alright."

"If you say so... I have to go now. I'll call you later."

"Yeah, sure. Bye, Erin."

"Bye."

As she hung up, Linda repeated her husband. "Denial is all we have?! What the hell kinda comfort is that?"

"I don't know! Will call the doctor, please?"

Linda sighed, she hated that look in her husband's eyes. "Okay, I'll call him." 

*********

Instead of having all Frank’s children call her at once and wear her thin, Linda decided to host a Zoom meeting at four o’clock for the family. She sat beside Danny on their bed, waiting for Jamie and Eddie to join the meeting. Once they were joined, the nurse started talking. 

“So, about Frank... I called the doctor, and while it’s not the greatest, it’s not the worst either.”

“What does that mean?” Jamie interrupted his sister in law. 

“It means that the chances of survival are very high. However, once recovered, he’ll have a compromised immune system, and other health concerns.”

“Compromised immune system?” Erin repeated, “he’ll just have to be extra careful, right?”

“Yes. After he gets out of the hospital, he’ll have to stay at home for at least two weeks, maybe longer.”

“Who will be the commissioner then?” Eddie wondered, snacking on her barbecue chips. At seven months pregnant, she was always hungry, tired, and emotional. 

“Usually it’s the DCPI,” Danny piped up. 

“Or the second in command, but since Garrett is also out with COVID, it all depends.” Linda sighed, shrugging. 

“Garrett’s sick too? Who else up there is sick?” Erin wondered, “and how do you know?”

“Henry told me when he called me about Frank. Chief Brody is also in the hospital, and Abigail is staying at home for the future. I talked to her earlier today, and she said it was a very mild case. Since she’s very healthy, it’ll probably be just a cold, or even like the flu. I don’t know about Chief Brody’s health...”

“But Dad’ll be okay?” Jamie put an arm around Eddie. 

Linda couldn’t tell them the recovery was a supposed case scenario. There was no telling if Frank would live or not, since everything about the virus was completely uncharted territory. “Yes, Frank will be alright. But, guys, you gotta listen. You have to know that he’s gonna have a forever weakened immune system because of this.”

“Is there anything we can do?” Eddie tucked her hair behind her ear. 

“Just pray.”


	3. A Light In The Storm

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for this mess of a chapter...

It was day who-the-hell-even-knew in quarantine, and slowly everyone was losing their minds. Jack and Sean would have days where they were bored out of their minds and actually *wanted* to clean, just to keep busy. Linda had gone through all her drawers and her closet, discarding clothes she hadn't worn in years, or clothes that just didn't fit her like they used to. She had encouraged Danny to do the same, and after much grumbling, he gave in, needing to do something. 

Aside from the utter boredom, the Reagans were doing well. Frank beat the virus in a little over a month, and was now staying home no matter what. Henry, with the help of Jamie, set up an account with the local grocery stores, so they could deliver to the doorstep. 

Jamie and Eddie were preparing to have the baby any day now. They were going to a birthing center, because they did not want to come in contact with the virus at the hospital. They had the nursery ready, the apartment baby proofed, and Eddie's things packed in a bag since July. Eddie told Jamie that was ridiculous, and Linda only laughed and told her to get use to it.

Erin and Nicky were doing fine, with Nicky staying in the apartment while Erin went to work. Erin had gotten a COVID scare, but it turned out to be just a regular stomach bug. After that, she made sure to take vitamins every single day. (Linda made sure of that by buying in bulk and sending the family a two-month supply). 

All Linda was able to do was clean, clean, clean. She enlisted the family, first cleaning the bedrooms, then bathrooms, then the first floor. Wipes were still in low supply, so Windex and paper towels were being used constantly. Thankfully, (much to Danny's utter relief) she didn't haven't to work at the hospital every day. It was every other day, and because of this, she was constantly trying out new recipes. 

Linda would bake up a storm, send it off to the rest of the family, and would then try another recipe. She made coffee cakes, chocolate everything, spice cupcakes, sugar cookies, everything! Her sour dough didn't come out as well as the pastries and cakes, though. 

"So? Whaddaya think?" She watched Danny slowly chew the bread. She knew what she thought, she knew what she needed to improve on, but she wanted another opinion. 

"It's, um, well..." he paused, thinking about how to put 'it tastes like shit on a shingle' nicely. "You did your best."

"I don't get it," she sighed, scratching at her pink cardigan. "I've made bread before. I cook! I bake! So why does this taste so terrible?"

"Shoddy oven?" Danny guessed, not wanting to fault Linda. Both their mental health states were waining by this point. Linda would get upset over the smallest thing and cry for an hour, deciding not to speak to anyone and even going without a meal. Danny would have days when he didn't feel like doing anything, so he'd watch marathons of Dr. Pol while looking at the news on his phone, which made him only more depressed. He would skip meals too. 

She pouted, tearing the corner off the piece she had and throwing down onto the sheet pan. "Shit."

"Y'know, if you put jam on this, it wouldn't be half bad," he told her around another bite. "Where's the jam?" He turned to the fridge to seek it out. 

"It doesn't matter. This sucks, just like everything. First, it's the damn virus. Second, innocent black people are being shot. Third, because of three dick-headed, racist cops, suddenly everyone is against you guys! And it's September already! Why can't this just f***ing end?! And I'm tried! Everything is so..." she groaned, scrunching her fingers in her hair. 

Danny put his food down and placed his hands on her upper arms. "It's a bad time, but we're gonna make it, right? Just like the song says."

"Which one?"

"I dunno. I figured you'd come up with one, smile slowly, then laugh and hug me."

" ' I'm so glad I found you, I'm not gonna lose you. Whatever it takes, I will stay here with you. Take you to the good times, see you through the bad times. Whatever it takes is what I'm gonna do'." She sang, feeling just a teeny bit better. 

Danny smiled and chuckled, bringing her into a hug. He kissed her head, swaying her slightly. 

"If all else, we can use the bread for a door stop," Linda mused, getting a laugh from Danny. "Or a paper weight."

"You'll get it next time. I know you will." 

"Next time I think I'll make that orange chocolate liquor cake. It's seems a little tricky, but it'll be worth it. Or maybe soft pretzels."

"I vote pretzels."

***********

It was an unholy hour in the morning when his phone rang. He should've been sleeping, but he had woken up from a dreadful dream, and Linda had readily offered her "forget the nightmare services". They had been forgetting the nightmare for an hour and a half now. 

Danny blindly reached for his phone on the nightstand, trying to ignore his wife's mouth and hands. "Yeah? What? Who?"

There was a pause on the other end before Jamie's voice filled his ear. "It's Jamie. Um... are you okay?"

"Yeah, yeah, sure, sure. What is it?"

"Um... I figured I should call to tell you Eddie's in labor."

"Uh, Jamie, can I call you back in like ten minutes?"

"Um, okay?" He said slowly as his brother hung up. 

"Jamie!" Eddie called, struggling to gather her things. "Quit talkin' and help!"

Jamie pocketed his cell and quickly ran the few feet to his wife. "What do you need?"

"Drugs. Get me to the car."

**Author's Note:**

> Please stay safe and follow all the guidelines. I know this year sucks, but if we follow the rules, next year *should* be better


End file.
